Beyond ecotourism – Conservation after Covid-19

[UngulateNerd92]

When conservationists are looking for ways to generate income to pay for nature protection, ecotourism is usually their first choice. Too often, international tourism has been seen as the silver bullet that will deliver the incentives and resources to protect the world’s iconic wildlife. Covid-19 has exposed the weakness of this approach. With 50 million tourism jobs forecast to be lost in 2020, ‘normal service’ is unlikely to be resumed any time soon, if ever. It is clear that alternative ways to generate funds for conservation are urgently needed in both the short and long term.

Beyond ecotourism – Conservation after Covid-19 | Fauna & Flora International

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

While I agree that ecotourism by and of itself is not a sustainable long term solution for conserving biodiversity I can't help but feel very depressed by these implications of COVID-19.

Many conservationists and NGO's that I know here in Brazil have been desperately fighting losing battles to conserve endangered species and ecosystems and experience the benefits of ecotourism in generating funding and international support.

 

[amur leopard]

I personally do not think that tourism will be affected much after a few years. No-one will forget Covid 19 but 'normality' or something quite near it I believe will resume within a year or two. I think the influence of Covid will, for most people, act as a sort of overblown and saddening New Year's Resolution to wash hands more or to fly less. I fear for ecotourism especially, but I sadly (or perhaps happily) can't see us abandoning international flights out of fear of a virus when so much short-term gain is on the table.

If flights as a mode of transportation for leisure do not take place, what will humankind, in out infinite wisdom have in store to replace it? No equally easy alternatives exist that can cross oceans and vast expanses of land in a matter of hours. I don't see anyone forgoing a trip to Asia or South America that they have dreamed of their entire life because it could spread another zoonotic disease they know not of.

Of course tourism will be impacted, but in the long term, will we really move away from comfort and convenience?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I personally do not think that tourism will be affected much after a few years. No-one will forget Covid 19 but 'normality' or something quite near it I believe will resume within a year or two. I think the influence of Covid will, for most people, act as a sort of overblown and saddening New Year's Resolution to wash hands more or to fly less. I fear for ecotourism especially, but I sadly (or perhaps happily) can't see us abandoning international flights out of fear of a virus when so much short-term gain is on the table.

Sadly, a few years or even a year can be make or break in conservation and particularly ecotourism.